Torpedo-launching tube.



A. E. J ONES. TORPEDO LAUNGHING TUBE. APPLIUATION nun nov.1, 1907.

908,270. Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

I y x @M I 1n 2 NORRIS PETERS cm. wnsumcrmn B. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT EDWARD JONES, OF FIUME, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, ASSIGNOR TO WHITHEAD &

COMPANY, OF FIUME, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

TORPEDO-LAUNCHIN G TUBE.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT EDWARD J ones, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and residing at F iume, Austria- Hungary, engineer, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating toTorpedo-Launching Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a safety device for launching torpedoesand has for its object to simplify the manipulation of the tube, thisbeing reduced to the opening and the closing of the breech, and toacting upon the firing handle.

In the accompanying drawing :-Fignre 1 represents a side elevation of atorpedo launching tube provided with this safety device. Figs. 2 and 3are detail views of the operating gear for the bolts for stopping andreleasing the torpedo. Fig. 4 is a section on the line i-4 of Fig. 3.Fig. 5 shows a detail of a portion of Fig. 1.

The torpedo launching tube a closed by the breech b carries the ordinaryfiring handle 0 jointed at d to the side of the tube, and provided withan arm 6 capable of engaging with a projection on the crown g of thebreech. The handle 0 is attached to a rod 7L parallel with the torpedotube and which passes through two supports 2' in the form of boxes. Therod members 70 we passing through these boxes are enlarged and recessedwith grooves 0 p forming cams (Figs. 2 and 3). The box j serves a guidefor the bolt n for starting the torpedo and is connected with the camgroove 0 by a pin 9. in the same way, the box 2' serves to guide thebolt 9* for stopping the torpedo, which bolt is connected by the pin awith the cam groove 2). The torpedo launching tube likewise carries asupport if, to which the rod h is connected by a spring device which isrepresented in detail in Fig. 5, and comprises two boxes u o slidingtelc scopically within one another and articulated to the support t andto the rod it respectively. A spring in compressed between these twoboxes tends to separate them from one another. Finally, in proximity tothe firing handle, the rod h is connected to the trigger lever y adaptedto strike the percussion mechanism a.

The operation is as follows :In order to insert a torpedo in the tube,first of all the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1, 1907.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 400,200.

breech is opened by causing it to turn in the direction indicated by thearrow F (Fig. l). The projection f on the crown g in acting upon thesmall arm 6 of the handle 0 depresses it forward. The rod it moves inthe direction indicated by the arrow J the cam groove 0 consequentlydraws the starting bolt a upwards, while the cam groove 79 (the contourof which is the reverse of that of the groove 0) presses the stop bolt rinside the tube. Figs. 2 and 3 show that if the torpedo be nowintroduced into the tube, it will necessarily be brought to rest by itsstop guide 3 encountering the stop bolt T which projects into theinterior of the tube. The breech b is closed by turning it in theopposite direction to that indicated by the arrow F. In order to launchthe torpedo, the handle 0 is. drawn back, thereby displacing the rod itin the opposite direction to that indicated by'the arrow J the stop bolt0" moves aside in the box a while the starting bolt n projects insidethe tube and comes in the path of the starting lever 2 controlling theair supply to the motor of the torpedo not shown. This rearward movementof the rod h is assisted by the spring device (Fig. The rearwardmovement of the rod h likewise, by means of the trigger lever y, causesfiring in the box a and consequently the departure of the torpedo.

The advantages are as follows:In the first place it is impossible toopen the breech without bringing the stop bolt 1" for the torpedo intoposition, that is to say, without automatically insuring the conditionessential for preventing the torpedo from leaving the loading tubeaccidentally at the time of charging. Vhen firing, in the first placethe starting bolt n is automatically caused to enter the tube, while thestopping bolt 1' is withdrawn, and almost simultaneously the triggerlever is released. Any incorrect manipulation is therefore impossible,as all the parts are controlled by a single part, such as the firinghandle, and the whole may be operated by a single man. The torpedolaunching tube properly so-called presents this further peculiarity,that the length of its cylindrical part is reduced to the minimumwhereby the construction is rendered more economical.

It should be understood that the shapes of the various levers of theguide boxes for the bolts and of the cams controlling the bolts are onlygiven by way of example in the ac companying drawin The invention isapplicable to tubes for launching torpedoes both above and below thelevel of the water.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. In combination with a torpedo launching tube, a rodarranged outside of the tube and displace-able lengthwise, said rodbeing connected with the firing mechanism, enlarged members formed onthe rod passing through supporting boxes on the launching tube, saidmembers being provided with grooves curved in opposite directions forengaging the torpedo stop and starting bolts.

2. In combination with a torpedo launching tube, a rod connected withthe firing mechanism and provided with enlarged members havingcam-shaped grooves curved in opposite directions, supports in the formof boxes on the launching tube for guiding said enlarged members, astopping bolt and a starting bolt guided in each support respectively,said bolts being provided with pins engaging the cam-shaped grooves.

3. In combination with a torpedo launching tube, a rod connected withthestopping and starting bolts of the torpedo with the trigger lever, andwith the firing handle, whereby a continued rearward motion of the rodwill in turn depress the starting bolt, raise the stop bolt, and causethe trigger lever to strike the percussion mechanism.

4:. In combination with a torpedo launching tube, a rod connected withthe stopping and starting bolts of the torpedo, with the trigger lever,and with the firing handle, the latter being provided with an arm which,on opening the breech of the launching tube, engages with a projectionon the crown of said tube, thus moving the rod forward to gailse thestarting bolt and depress the stop 5. In combination with a torpedolaunching tube, a rod displaceable lengthwise and connected with thestopping and starting bolts of the tor aedo and with the lever strikingthe percussion mechanism, and a firing handle attached to the rod andpivoted to the launching tube, said firing handle having an arm engagingwith a projection on the crown of the breech.

6. In combination with a torpedo launching tube, a rod displaceablelengthwise and connected with the trigger lever, a firing handleattached to the rod and pivoted to the launching tube, said handlehaving an arm engaging with a projection on the crown of the breech,enlarged members formed 011 the rod and provided with camshaped groovescurved in opposite directions, supports on the tube for guiding saidmembers, stopping and starting bolts guided in each supportrespectively, and pins on said bolts engaging with the cam-shapedgrooves for causing the bolts to engage respectively with stopping andstarting notches attached to the torpedo.

In testimony whereof I iave hereunto placed my hand and seal atBirmingham, England, this ninth day of October 1907.

ALBERT EDWARD JONES. [n 5.]

In the presence of two witnesses:

ARTHUR IVRIGHT, Junior, HOWARD J 01-1 ASI-ILY.

